Garlaban walks

Circuit following in Marcel Pagnol's footsteps, passing by the Baume du Plantier (Manon’s Cave) then reaching the legendary Garlaban. The return journey passes by the peak of Taoumé and Grosibou Cave and ending with the Vallon de Passe-Temps.

A beautiful hike with cable and chain passages and magnificent 360° views from the top of the Garlaban. Please note that a municipal by-law has prohibited descent via the Dansaires trail since 2010 due to rockfalls.

This is an exciting hike that combines the appeal of hiking with cultural interest. Throughout the circuit, you will discover the locations where Marcel Pagnol's works were filmed. In addition, at the top of Garlaban, the view is breathtaking, with a 360° panorama of Marseille, the Mediterranean Sea and the beginning of the Côte d'Azur, as well as the surrounding landscape, including La Sainte-Victoire and the Sainte-Baume mountain range.

Set off to discover these famous places in the Aubagne region: Puits de Raimu, Mas de Massacan, Col d'Aubignane, Pierres gravées de Louis Douard, Col et Sommet du Garlaban, Puits du Mûrier, Baume Sourne, Pic du Taoumé, Grotte de Grosibou, Pas du Loup and Pierre Gravée du Berger, Jas de Batisto, Tête Ronde, Barres du Saint Esprit and the ruins of the village of Aubignane from the film Regain.

A beautiful loop with spectacular views at the top and a return via the Vallon des Piches, which offers views over the whole of Marseille.

A challenging 16 km circular route to discover the summit of Garlaban via the Scolopendres trail, the Barquieu spring near the Grand Ravin and the corniches of the Grand Vallon, the Puit de l'Aroumi via the Puits du Murier and Baume Sourne, which can be visited in full sunlight or with a powerful torch. Finally, the Pic du Taoumé and the famous Grosibou cave. Return via the Pas du Loup towards the Col d'Aubignane.

This hike will allow you to discover a large part of the Garlaban massif. In my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful. The views from the peaks are superb. From the summit of Grande Tête Rouge, you can see all of Marseille from Callelongue to L'Estaque, and from Garlaban, the Gulf of La Ciotat and Cassis.

Yet another climb towards Garlaban, but this one stands out, firstly because it starts from Camoin, but also because the return route via Pas des Quatre Fers is relatively little used. Jean Camoin was the name of a15th-century landowner who owned a lot of land around Garlaban (hence the name of the locality in Aubagne and the district in Marseille).

Discover Garlaban, the legendary peak of the Aubagne region, via an original route that takes you past the base of the Grotte de Manon, then up the Vallon des Piches along a final path to find the faint traces of a very ancient rosette. The magnificent 360° view from the summit of Garlaban is breathtaking. The return journey is a gentle walk along the track and allows for a short detour to explore the Route des Pierres Gravées, where you’ll find around a hundred engravings by Louis Douard.Note: there are only about thirty spaces at the Puits de Raimu car park, which fill up quickly, particularly at weekends.

This is a fairly comprehensive hike that passes through the Col d’Aubignane and the Pas du Loup (which rises to 543 m). The walk then passes the Grosibou Cave, the Pic du Taoumé and the Baume Sourne or Bat Cave. It is a protected, fenced-off area, but you can see it and take photos; it is very pretty. The hike also passes the Puits du Mûrier, the Col du Garlaban, the Croix du Garlaban, Louis Douard’s rock carvings (over 100 rock carvings) and, finally, the Grotte du Plantier, also known as the Grotte du Cerf or the Grotte de Manon.

From the vallons de Préscator and des Piches to the Garladan summit, this hike allows you to immerse yourself in the natural world that Marcel Pagnol grew up in. This itinerary, with its many well-known sites, is above all a variation on the Garladan and is in no way intended to replace the guided tours offered by the tourist office.